Many g’days in Australia

Jon: After contending with illness and bad weather in northern Vietnam, I was excited to be someplace warmer to heal up. Our first days in Australia were spent just outside of Brisbane at Kirkland House B&B. We enjoyed a quiet and relaxing stay there and met up with Servas day hosts.

Our hosts, Hilary and Alan, showed us wonderful hospitality. We enjoyed a great morning talk on the back patio before heading off for a picnic lunch along the river near the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary where we spent our afternoon. We watched the koalas chomp eucalyptus and appreciated the up-close view of these interesting creatures. We also saw a host of other animals like platypus, wombats, and Tasmanian devils. The highlights of the day were feeding kangaroos and “wild” lorikeets. We headed back to Hilary and Alan’s for a home cooked dinner and good conversations. Hilary had helpful information on places to visit in Australia as well as New Zealand, the next country on our agenda. Our first couple days were a great intro to Australia and some of its fine folks.

The next stop was the kooky, “hippie”, town of Mullimbimby. Amy selected this location for its proximity to the start of a wildlife tour I booked and the eclectic accommodation available. We soon discovered that it was also a major home for flying foxes – giant bats with faces resembling a fox. As we readied ourselves for the night in our gypsy wagon, we could see a handful of flying foxes in the distance. The handful quickly became a significant mass, easily over one thousand flying across the sky. They were fun to watch fly off for the evening.

The Gypsy Wagon

A trip to Byron Bay to check out the area and unwind the following day was quite nice. After lunch and a beer taster at Byron Bay Brewery, we made our way back to Mullimbimby. Amy did some research and found that the flying foxes roosted nearby. They were starting to stir in preparation for their night out. It wasn’t long before dozens of them took flight and filled the darkening sky. What a sight! For locals, the flying fox is a nuisance. For us, it was a spectacle to see – something I’d been curious about for a long time. The next day promised more animal sightings with our wildlife tour.

Amy and I were picked up in the morning by Vision Walks Eco Tours owner and guide, Wendy. She was full of energy and set a great tone for the day. We made a quick stop to pick up another couple and were off to see koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, and more – in the wild! Our first stop took us to a small park/preserve filled with eucalyptus trees that koalas use for food and rest.  Almost immediately, we spotted a furry friend far up in a tree. We strolled along paths and through the woods looking for more koalas and big ol’ spiders. Luck brought us a handful of koalas and only one big spider – all were spotted at safe distances.

Our day with Wendy continued with a stop to see flying foxes, pademelons (very small variety of kangaroo) in the rainforest, kangaroos, and wallabies (small variety of kangaroo) in the woods. The occasional bird or other critter of interest would happen along as well. The day was filled with animal sightings and beautiful scenery as we passed through one area to the next.

We packed up and departed the gypsy wagon to head toward the beach. Another stunning drive through rolling green hills and along the coast brought us to the town of Ballina. We ended up in a small hotel room above a pub on the main road. The location was ideal with access to the town, river and beach, even if the room was fairly old and run down. The town had a classic coastal vibe with surf shops, a nautical museum, and lighthouse. Surfers, paddle boarders, fishermen, and sun bathers shared the shoreline with large pelicans. The information office helped us pinpoint a couple places to spot dolphins. Though at a distance, it was so fun to see them riding waves and jumping. I also discovered a nesting tree for lorikeets. I’m fairly convinced that the aptly named rainbow lorikeet is the most vibrantly colored bird.

We started inland from Ballina stopping along the way at a couple nice beaches and some of the wildlife spots we remembered from the tour. The area does not lack for beauty and the mountains further inland don’t disappoint either. Amy found us a nice, old school, strip motel, called the Tweed River Motel, which reminded me of the place my Aunt and Uncle owned in the Black Hills of South Dakota when I was a kid. We had mountains surrounding us and the Tweed River flowing out back. Lorikeets and parrots would fly by in the evening. The mountain views were great, but getting into them was the objective.

A short drive brought us into Springbrook National Park where we visited Natural Arch, a water formed arch with waterfall cutting through and a cave behind it. We also stopped at “The Best of All Lookout”, another lookout that I felt offered better views, and Twin Falls. The lookouts provided views from the mountains to the coast. Twin Falls provided the unique opportunity to walk behind a fairly tall waterfall. The day was filled with diverse hikes and drives along winding mountain roads. It wasn’t over just yet, however.

The evening brought us back to the Natural Arch area where we waited for nightfall. We hiked back to the cave behind the falls and watched as glow worms started to illuminate the darkness. This was an intriguing sight, but there were too many people and the occasional flashlight would blind spectators and pause the glow worms’ illumination. Somewhat annoyed, Amy and I made our way back toward the car. We were rewarded with glow worms illuminating the path from underneath tree roots, overhung rocks, and similar crevasses. Best of all, we nearly had the trail to ourselves.

With a full day behind us, I quickly drove to the hotel for bed – tomorrow called for an early rise. We woke the next morning and made our way to the base of Mt. Warning. Being peak baggers, a summit hike was in order. The majority of the ascent was on well-groomed, hard-packed, trail with steps leading up some short steeper sections. The final rocky escarpment leading to the actual summit was far more interesting. We made use of juggy rocks and a steel cable running alongside to gain the top where we found a fence lined pathway circumnavigating the peak with lookouts in different directions. The rocks encountered before the summit were even more fun to navigate in reverse. It made me long for some rock climbs, rappels, and more mountaineering adventures when back in the States and reunited with my gear.

Our time in Australia was winding down. We headed back up toward Brisbane stopping along the way to enjoy a gorgeous beach at Lennox Head. Our final two days were spent with another pair of gracious Servas Hosts, Norma and Keith, near Brisbane. We very much enjoyed their company and hearing about their many travels and stays throughout the world. We smiled as Keith fed butcher birds and bushy tailed possums from their back deck.

The next morning, we joined Keith for a walking tour throughout their charming neighborhood. Norma then gave us passes for the City Cat (catamaran), so we could head into town. Amy and I boarded the Cat and enjoyed a swift cruise up the river into the city center. We checked out the sights, stopped into some of the art museums, and capped off the afternoon with a beer. Another night on the back deck and more possums wrapped things up well.

The last day in Brisbane brought us more warmth and sunshine. We walked in the morning with Norma and Keith before they took us up Mount Coot-tha to get an overlooking view of Brisbane. We then headed to the botanical garden to see some of the native plants and look for water dragon lizards. Along the way, we got a quick glimpse of a goanna on the road – think very big lizard, like a monitor lizard. The botanical garden held lovely native plants and we had a couple encounters with the water dragons. We also found many of the aforementioned big ol’ spiders hanging about. I don’t think they meant any harm, but they are large and menacing looking. I steered clear. The day’s sightseeing was a delightful way to wrap up our time. We were sad to leave Australia, but we left having made new friendships and lasting memories.

(Dates: January 1-13, 2016)